


To Return

by Charlie9646



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Forgiveness, Friendship, Memories, PTSD, Potion’s class, eighth year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:40:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23833999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charlie9646/pseuds/Charlie9646
Summary: Returning to Hogwarts was the hardest thing that Hermione had ever done, but the only person it was harder for is Draco.Friendship or more can bloom in the darkest of hours. Forgiveness is not one action, but many.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger
Comments: 15
Kudos: 52
Collections: DFW Birthday GOGO Fest 2020





	To Return

**Author's Note:**

  * For [floorcoaster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/floorcoaster/gifts).



> Thank you highlyintelligentblonde for Betaing this.

“The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them.” Stephen King 

Hermione didn't want to join the ministry like Harry, Ron and Neville. She wholeheartedly understood why they wanted to, but for her school was something she enjoyed. It was comfortable and for once in all her years since joining the wizarding world - Hogwarts was truly safe. Walking into the castle was like coming home in every single sense of the word.

The people who came back for the eighth year for the most part were completely random. She did, of course, but her friends, of course, did not. Nott didn't, nor the elder Greengrass sister. Parkinson did, and what shocked her most Malfoy did. Hermione didn't know how to speak to him, or if she would ever want to. But, at least from what she could tell, he seemed so utterly broken. Was it that his father was dead? Was it that his mother was on house arrest? Or that he would possibly be tracked and kept an eye on for the rest of his days?

Hermione knew in her heart she should feel no sympathy for Draco Malfoy of all people. The whole point of justice was you did the crime you did the time. In terms of the Muggle world punishments, Malfoy had gotten off quite easy, all things that he had done considered. But maybe that was a good thing, stopping someone’s life entirely simply because of the mistakes they had made was a wrong thing. It was crazy to remove someone’s ability to live, grow and change simply because of the errors they had made in the past.

Walking through the halls of Hogwarts made Hermione think of the past. It made her think of all they had lost - Dumbledore, with his silly hats and bright robes. Colin Creevy with his camera, and she could nearly see Remus smiling at Tonks. It didn't feel like they were gone - it felt as if they were still here - even if they were not ghosts. It was as if their energy, pieces of them were still there.

Hermione shoved down the feelings of loss and regret. They would want her to live; they would want her to make the most out of the fact she was alive and here. But, that only did so much to suppress the feelings of regret and loss. Maybe Luna and Ginny were right; she should talk to a mind healer. Bloody hell she was going to be late to Potions if she didn't hurry up. Hermione sighed loudly and opened the heavy door, fingers clutching the brass handle as she did so.

This room felt far colder than the rest of the castle, even the hall outside of it. Here was where she felt another individual who was lost the most; there was minimal comfort from this presence. There was a sharpness to his. It did not matter that in her last year Severus Snape had taught defense against the dark arts. Nor did it really matter that his final year of his life he had been the Headmaster. Snape, Professor Snape to her, would always be Hogwarts Potion’s master, which would likely frustrate the man at best and infuriate him at worst.

His presence to her mostly brought Hermione regret. Having always been the kind of person who wanted to know everything, every single detail, and yet she did not see it. Hermione did not know the man behind the mask; she judged the book for its cover, and maybe if she wouldn't have, he might still be here. In a way to erase her guilt and her remorse, Hermione made a promise to herself a rather odd promise, but also in a way, a rather simple one. Never again would she judge someone for how they appeared or their or their actions without context, and for the first of such actions Hermione would start with one of the most problematic that she could come up with. 

Hermione Jean Granger saw him sitting there, alone, his white-blonde hair longer than it had been at the trials hanging in his pale face. His grey-blue eyes downcast and his body rigid with evident discomfort. It was like he was prepared for battle, prepared to be attacked from all fronts. That was smart of him all things considered. But, not unlike the professor who saved him Draco was paying with much cost for his actions than simply what the world itself saw. 

Hermione walked over to him, one foot in front of the other each step easier than the one before it. Each was carrying her closer to something that just felt right in her heart and in her mind. Hermione pulled her rather heavy bag off her shoulder and set it next to her stool. 

Malfoy stared sharply at the blackboard as if he didn't notice her presence or better yet that he did not care to. Hermione sighed loudly mostly to permeate the silence with at least a small noise. Malfoy said nothing before class started, not even after. As if he too felt a heavy weight over him, but his emotions of it all kept him, the person who had been prone to telling you exactly what he thought about you quiet.

Hermione opened her mouth to say something, to tell him she could gather the things they needed for the potion, but before she could spit out those words, he had already gone to grab them. Quiet Malfoy was far more uncomfortable to be around the spoiled little brat he had once been. It was not unlike her that the war had broken something in him as well. 

i They worked in silence - two of the best students in their year finally working together -  it should not have been shocking to anyone that their potion was darn near close to perfection. Close to what someone like Snape would produce. Maybe though she wouldn't dare speak the words to anyone, it might even be better. 

It was a calming draught of all things. Hermione watched out of the corner of her eye as Draco filled a few vials up with said potion and pocketed them.

”Goodie two shoes doesn't have anything to say about this?” Draco harshly whispered, so it seemed that Malfoy still was a bit like who he used to be. ”Going to tattle on me like I am some sort of toddler who can't be trusted alone? Did they ask you to keep an eye on me? Is that why you sat next to me? To make sure the dirty little Death Eater stays in line? I am okay, Granger, I am not stepping on toe out of line. I just need these. I just need these to be able to sleep.”

Hermione realised in that instant she wasn't the only one feeling the weight of the past crushing her under the weight of it all. 

”Why would I do that, Draco?” Hermione asked him, ”I actually was going to ask you if I could have one myself.”

”I’m sorry, I’m just a little touchy at best.” He handed her one of the vials his cold, pale fingers brushing against hers. 

”You're not the only one, and I am sure we aren't the only ones either.”

”I don't know if that’s true,” Draco turned away from her as he went to put the things he had gathered away. The little bit of what was peeking under the hard layer seemed to be shut back under the hard shield of what made him himself.

”You're not alone, Draco, no matter what you think,” Hermione muttered, deciding in that moment she was going to try to get to know him, at least as a friend. In for a penny in for a bloody pound, she thought. ”Want to study together?”

Draco spun to face her, ”do you really think that's a good idea? All things considered?”

“All things considered I don't really care what the rest of this school or even what the rest of the wizarding world thinks.”

”You know it's going to make them talk, right?” He laughed, ”The Muggleborn and the Death Eater, studying together?”

”Former Death Eater, unless something has changed,” she said, “And after everything, I honestly don't care.”

”Well then neither do I, so this evening in the library?”

”Yes that sounds great, see you then.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
